Container



S. PLATT Aug 10,, 19439 CONTAINER Filed Sept 2'7, 1940 .T, m RL m? wa U W BY 8b Bu ATTORNEYE Patented Aug. 10, 1943 UNITED" STATES PATENT orrlcs CONTAINER Samuel Platt, San Francisco, Calif. V Application September 27, 1940, Serial No.358,609 4 Claims. (Cl. 229- 87) This invention relates to containers or boxes as used generally in stores for neckties, hand kerchiefs, stockings, scarfs, etc., that are classifled as gift items.

The principal object of the invention is an improved container that is economical to make, neat in appearance, and which container is more compact and more easily folded to closed condi tion than heretofore.

Another object is an improved container that is less susceptable to damage during folding to closed condition, and which container is folded and secured in folded condition without danger of injury to the nails or fingers of the clerk or person folding the same. 1

Other objects and advantages will appear in the description and drawing annexed hereto.

My improved structure eliminates the above objections and thus effects a material saving'in time in packaging goods, the result being that the clerks that wrap the goods that are sold, will use the containers without injury to themselves or to the containers, and'by so doing, effect a material saving of time over. older methods.

In detail, Fig. 1 represents a substantially rectangular blank formed of cardboard or the like, which blank is formed with a generally central folding crease l, substantially dividing the container into a rectangular bottom, or main side 2, and atop side 3. Along the edgefof bottom 2 :lat is opposite the top 3 is an exten- In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a plan view of'a blank of cardboard for folding to form my container.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the final step of closing the container formed from the blank of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged end edge view of the folded container.

As a general rule, where efficient store management is desired, the use of attractive boxes or containers is encouraged over the use of ordinary paper or paper bags, since the customers are more favorably impressed, and the goods purchased are protected against wrinkles,-and other injury. The use of cardboard containers for gift items, such as neckties, handkerchiefs, stockings, etc., that are relatively light and readily fold to fiat condition, is particularly desirable, since the sender is particularly anxious for the container in which the gift is enclosed to present an attractive appearance, and the re-' cipient is favorably impressed with the store from which the gift is sent.

l-leretofore, flat containers for use in containing flat folded items, have been of the type closure flaps that fold over the bottom or one main side of the container forming the top or other main side thereof. One of the flaps was formed with the conventional slot for receiving the tab on the other flap, thus locking the flaps together. The clerks in stores are reluctant to use these containers, particularly during the busy hours of the day, since the locking of the flaps is awkward and difllcult and frequently the tabs or slots are torn, involving loss of time in repacking the gift items, and the operation of locking the flaps closed frequently causes injuries to the cuticles and nails of the fingers due to the difficulty of quickly effecting the interlock between the tabs. containers have narrow edge walls perpendicular to the main walls, thus 'making the packages more bulky than required, and necessitating additional folding operations.

sion 4, the juncture between said extension 4 and bottom 2 being defined by a crease 5 that is parallel with crease I. Along the two remaining: opposite edges of bottom I areend extensions 6, and the junctures between extension 6 and bottom I are defined by parallel creases "5 extending perpendicularly of creases l, and extending between corresponding ends of said creases I, 5. The extension 4 and extensions 5 are relatively narrow with respect to the bottom 2, and constitute'strips of the material of the blank-extending longitudinally of the edges along. which they are disposed. Extensions 5 are preferably Wider than extension 4, for a reason later to be described.

, Centrally between-the ends, of extension 4 is 'a' tab 8, which tab is rectangularin shape and elongated longitudinally of extension 4. This tab projects from the free longitudinally extending edge of the extension 4 and its length-is approximately one-third of the length of the exa tension, although this may be varied somewhat, according to circumstances, such as the size of the container, the goods to be packed, etc. However, in any event the tab should preferably be of appreciable length.

The free edge of the top 3 that is parallel with crease l is formedwith an outwardly opening rectangular recess 9 the depth of which in direction perpendicularly of said. free edge, is substantially the Width of the tab 8. The length of recess 9 is substantially the length of tab 8, be.- ingvery slightly greater, however, for a reason later to be explained. This recess 9 is centrally between the remaining opposite free edges of top 3 that extendperpendicularly of creases l,

that tabs i i are formed at opposite ends of recess 9, which tabs substantially correspond in length (longitudinally parallel with creases l, 5) to the the handkerchief or stockings, or tie, or any other relatively fiat item or items, on the bottom Z.

The flaps 6 are then folded over the end margins of bottom 2 and over the portionsof-theitems on said bottom that may extend to creases 1.. After this, the extension 4, carrying tab 8, is folded over the ends of flapsB that are adjacent thereto, and Which extension and tab may overlie theitems on bottom 2, The operatorthen folds over the 'top 3, which will completelyextend over the flaps 6 and the items on bottom 2 The tD' when so folded, is locked in position over n t ji e s' on d be by a i g thesaid top between the thumb and fingers of the hand 12 (Fig. 2), the fingers being along the outerside of the blank at crease I, and the thumb being in the thumb recess ill. The top 3 is then bowed outwardly, relative to bottom 2, by'the handand tabs H are slippedbelow the opposite end portions 4" of extension 4, which end portions extend outwardly er the tab'B', while the tab 8 extends between opposite end'edges of recess 9 ajnd'be'low' the fin'gr notch l0, Upon'relea's'i'ng the pressure of the fingers that; causes bowingof top 3, the] top 3'will straighten out appreciably, toward a hat position, and tabs ll willslideon flaps 6 to a position under the end portions '4 of extension 3, while tab' 8wi1l lie below the margin ofrecess 9 along which the finger notch lfl'is formed. The box will-now beheld closed against accidental opening, and the operator may tie the conventional ribbon or other binder about the the blank be sufficiently resilient to tend at all times to straighten out so that the tabs on the manner and the tabs on top} will respectively remain in' engagement with the respective margins of top 3 and extension 4 adjacent thereto.

*Having described my invention, I claim:

l. A relatively flat container comprising opposed, substantially rectangular top and bottom wallsofsimilar size formed from a single semiri gid, relatively resilient, elongated sheet of cardboard having a transverse folding crease and folded on itself along said crease, said folding creas d fini g one 9 the co re p nd n a i cenie gesbisaid all a peeated. ap, i tee w th aid ttom Wa ttendin en hw se thereof along the edge of the bottom wallthat is op os te said. c eas sewnd, ld n crease f med i an. shee a .1. B-' 'l 9'. ,T sa d. a an said. ct omf Wa and. qmm defin on edge Q i at e-g w and ta te ra with said flap projecting outwardly of the edge o aid ap. p i e, sa sewe ldi e cre between said flap and said marginal portion of a whe we l t e Sa em 2. said a ei t ened be wee said; t p. wa and aid. bottom ll when ai a and aid t wa lfolded over the saine' s ide'of said bottom wall, andthe same, or the purchaser may prefer to carry the same without further" wrapping; in the same manner as a ladys flat purse. The flaps 8- thus function to provide a support for slidingof the top 3 to locked or closed position, andto open the box, it is onlynecessary-to bow th top 3, as indicated in Fig. 2, until the'flaps l I clear the end portions 4' of extension 4..

The use of the term bottom and top; is. made to identify the" two main sides'of the container, since these are substantially the only sides on the container, the other sides being mere edgesalong creases I, 5 and'L Itw-illbe manifest, offcourse,

. that the extensionfi cooperates with.top.3;to. over.-

lie the bottom 2;

The locking of top 3 closed along one. edge of Y the container, :rather than in the center, is essentialto effect "a sufficiently secure closing oLthe container, since the extension Us relatively-nanrow with respect. to. the top 3, and willnot have the resiliency transversely thereof that isreouired to effect a release ofv the toll 3 .with0ut actually distorting the. top, 3 to a. bowed condition, Each ofthe tabs 8 .and Il, beingaboutequa-lto-each other in length,.an d extending inlongitudinal alignment along the margin alonanrmeei, e fifili a very effective means. of securin h t ltic e ifil- :The width of the, tab 8. aneof. end ardons! and the depthcislotfi, nd r cti n r nsllerssb ofthe lon es d ensions ther of, ma bev ri i according .totherequir mentsni he .u eyem l he, r ger ion. shown hen i aw mgst whi h, .i adequate to. p ide container. ad ptedfie 1 l s fairly ar ear ie eeo ae lae ty flee-t l re. si e t e il heir... ut u fiqiea ln inmcda e y rtiqle. a ti hour bar tiqn pttbe.a eraa etabs ii .4594?! Ellportant, however, in any case, that the material of outer free edges of said pair of tab s being substantially in engagement with the juncture ba tween said flap an' dsaid bottom wall when said flap and said top wall are so folded. '7

2. In a construction as defined in claim 1, a pair of flaps on said 'betto-m'vvallihtgraltherewith and respectively extending from theedges thereof that are atright angl egto said second folding crease;-'s'aid pair offiaps being folded over said bottom'wall to positions respectively between the tabs o'f said pair and saidbottorn wall.

"3; A substantiallyrectangular" container comprising opposed, rectangulartopand-bottom walls of similar size fer-med from a single sheet of-relatively resilient, semi-rigid sheet material integrally joinedalong one of corresponding-edges of said top and;bottom wallg'a folding creaee-in said sheetat said-integrally connectededges to facilitate swinging said-top and bottom walls relatively at said crease; a relatively narrow-flap integral with. said bottom wallextending along the edge of the latter opposite-said folding crease; a-second crease extending alongizheJunctin'ebetweensaid flap and. said bottom. wall folding said flap orerlthesmarginalportion of-the topwall that extends alongisaidifian when. said topwall isin opposedrelation to..said. bottom wall; .saidsecond creasebeing alonga line. commonly definingbne edge of said fiapand' one edgeflof saidtb ottomwall';

. a. tahintegral with said flappro-jecting outward-1y ed e.qtsaidbottc nwalle P ATT;- 

